THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 10, 1995 TAG: 9512100220
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANASSAS, VA. LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Indian River quarterback James Boyd has never been one to shrink from a challenge.
So moments after the Braves edged Hylton 13-12 for the state Division 6 football championship Saturday, Boyd pronounced himself ready to win a state basketball title.
The last Group AAA school to pull off a football-basketball sweep was Bethel with Allen Iverson in 1992-93.
Indian River's basketball team is ranked No. 1 in South Hampton Roads. But with at least six players still on the football team, the Braves were upset by Oscar Smith 60-59 Friday night.
``I was there,'' Boyd said. ``Losing to Oscar Smith is embarrassing.''
Boyd said the Braves should have won the state basketball championship last season when they lost to Potomac in the semifinals.
``We can do it this year,'' he said.
SOMETHING MISSING: Indian River is 32-8 with one state championship and three region titles in three seasons under coach Bob Parker.
``But I still haven't reached my goal yet,'' he said.
That would be winning a Southeastern District title. Indian River has never won a district title nor has Parker, who has been in the district for 14 seasons - the first 11 at Cradock and Churchland. It took some arm-twisting by Parker's wife Peggy and Braves defensive coordinator Scott Johnson to get Parker to leave Churchland in 1993.
``At first, I turned the job down,'' he said. ``But my main coach, Scott, and my wife wouldn't talk to me for three or four days.''
NO SNOW: Prince William County marshalled about 35 people together Saturday morning and using snowblowers and tractors removed an inch of snow from the field before game time.
Some spots had to be filled with sand and the field was slippery, but it wasn't the major factor it could have been.
``The closer we got, the bigger my fears were,'' Parker said. ``Somebody told us there was three inches of snow on the field. But it was super.''
YELLOW FEVER: The officiating crew from the Peninsula was the same group that worked Hampton's 24-19 victory over Deep Creek in the Division 5 region final.
Deep Creek coach Jerry Carter was sharply critical of the officials after that game. Saturday, Indian River was penalized 10 times for 89 yards.
``The penalties threw us off,'' Parker said.
Parker believed clipping should have been called on two Hylton punt returns, including one that went for a touchdown. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK
The Virginian-Pilot
Indian River running back Michael Joyner runs over Hylton defensive
back Sean Farrell during the Braves' 13-12 win Saturday in the state
championship game.
by CNB